Barely Alive
by Ocimi
Summary: Molly knew it was never a forever thing, but that didn't stop her from trying to make a life.


With the last bells request in my head I knew that my time here was... short. I only had so long before my destiny would catch up to me. It hurt, so badly that some night I would cry myself to sleep. I made friends here, life was cruel. I carefully sped down the stairs of the light house, hoping I could make it to the bottom before my stamina was gone. Running a farm and trying to save an island was very tiring, it was like constant stabbing in my legs in the beginning but the more I worked and ran the stronger my legs were and the longer I could last. The stamina berry helped too. I was rather lucky that the doctor on this island was a very understanding man, I couldn't count how many times he would have the door to his clinic bust open by Owen or Luke, one of them carrying my fainted body. He was also careful to word his diagnosis carefully if others were in the room, with just me he was very open. Despite that we were friends, I was pretty close to him, mostly because he was the only one who knew. Knew of my... disadvantage. I was a dead woman walking in the eyes of my family back home. My mother used to taunt me and tell me how she wished I was a better daughter and how she wished she had a son. The day I left, I told her she was going to hell...

* * *

"I'm sorry Molly... It's worse than we thought. I give you maybe another season but... Who can say really? Maybe the goddess will spare you." My long time friend the doctor said, his eyes watered but he tried to hide it.

"I'm not afraid to keep on living, doc! This won't stop me. Just... promise me something."

"Yes, anything!" He said, his eyes noticeably more watery.

"Don't forget me, and bury me on the island, okay? This is my home, the islanders are my family..."

"I will... Molly, have you... Have you told Chase?"

"No, I should but I'm scared. I feel things when I'm with him that I don't understand. I will tell him, before we progress... If we progress..." The only time I ever got sad about my situation was when I thought of leaving my life here. The tears flowed freely now, both of us cried together. This might be my last time seeing my friend... With that thought in mind I headed to the brass bar to see Chase.

"Hey, Chase!" I called, cheerily waving and hoping my eyes weren't as red and swollen as they felt.

"Hey." Was his short response.

"Ready to go? We have plans remember? Get your butt out of that kitchen!" My grin was slightly crooked as I said that, the teasing tone in my voice made him chuckle lowly as he finished up icing a beautiful cake. Throwing his apron on its hook and stuffing the cake into the seemingly never empty fridge, we sauntered together out of the bar and onto the cool streets of our beloved town.

"Look Chase, I have something I need to talk to you about tonight, can we go somewhere more... private? How about the spring at my farm?" I suggested, thinking a nice soak in the spring sounded lovely. He agreed, though he hesitated only a little. We stripped down to our under garments, neither looking at each other before sinking into the small spring. It was barely big enough for two people but he didn't seem to mind. He let out a deep sigh as he relaxed, then turned to me expectantly. Before I could say anything a breeze blew by causing me to shiver and sink lower into the spring. Chase chuckled before shifting closer and wrapping his arm around my shoulder. The thing is, we both knew we had feeling for each other but nothing ever seemed to happen. I prevented most things in a desperate attempt to keep him from getting hurt but an arm couldn't hurt right?

"This is pleasant. I'm glad I came, it was a rough day in the kitchen today." At my urging, he carried on. "Maya stopped by the bar and ordered a lot and the pestered me about going with her to a festival in the new year, I told her no but you know her... She is relentless." He sighed tilting his head slightly forward and sighing. His bobby pins did a good job of keeping his hair from his face so I could see the annoyed tick as he thought of his stalker.

"She is really in love with you isn't she? Poor girl, she doesn't realize how awful you are." I snarked playfully which caused him to use his free arm to splash water on me, while he unleashed his glare in my direction. I splashed back and we had a small water fight before he grasped my wrists and held them under the water, our laughter echoed around my farm. My heart swelled whenever Chase was around and all I wanted to do was kiss him in this moment. As if reading my thoughts Chase's laughter halted and he leaned in and kissed me softly. My heart jumped in my chest and I tugged my hands free from his grasp and entangled them in his hair before kissing him back, deeper. He pressed me into his chest and released me from the kiss with a small gasp, he stared deeply in my eyes and suddenly guilt flooded me. He looked at me with eyes I would never have thought he could possess... I needed to tell him.

"Chase... wait... I... I'm dying Chase." I finally whispered, my eyes prickled with tears. "I want to be with you, but I can't... I can't let you do this. I shouldn't have let you kiss me..." My voice cracked with emotion and he seemed frozen.

"Dying...?"

"The doctors can't figure it out, but my body is shutting down, slowly." I whisper.

"Why... Why didn't you tell me sooner.. Wh- why you..." He said, shaking a little.

"I tried but I didn't know how, I didn't want to admit it was happening to me. I don't... I don't want to die... I want to be with you.." I whisper, breaking down once the words left me. I cried freely and as much as I tried I couldn't will myself to stop. Chase hugged me close to him.

"It doesn't change the fact that... that I love you. I love you, Molly." He murmured into my hair. I felt a wetness fall onto my head and knew he was crying too.

* * *

I knew the day my legs gave out and I couldn't move them that it was the start to my downward spiral. Chase found me unmoving on the ground, my eyes open and red as I cried out that I couldn't move my legs. I fought to keep my farm, but it was too hard to manage on my own with my limited movement. It was suggested to me to hire help, I fought that for as long as I could but in the end I hired someone with the intention that one day they would take over the farm. His name was Kasey. I think my dying was hardest on Chase, when he thought I wasn't looking his face would change to a pained expression and his eyes would start to turn glossy. We spent a lot of time together near the end. Eventually I left my farm completely under Kasey, hoping he would keep it running as well as I did... I moved into the inn to live out my final days. Chase spent many nights sleeping in the inn with me, holding my hand and kissing me tenderly.

"Chase, you should find someone to love. Someone else... Someone who can give you a future, someone who can give you... a family... like Maya..." I told him one night. The look he gave me warned me that I said something stupid.

"I love you." Was all he said.

My death was not painful for me, though I bet it was hard for everyone else. I passed peacefully in my sleep on a stormy night. The good doctor pronounced me dead and set about getting me prepared for my funeral, tears dripped from his eyes. Chase was not with me when I died, he discovered my death coming to get me in the morning. He took it the hardest and disappeared for a week, staying in his house and barely eating. Maya finally got him to come out, and I wished she could heal him, make him happy. The islanders all took one day off to remember me, and honor me. I was there when they lowered me into the ground, I was there when Chase broke down and cried in front of people he normally remained stoic around. He wouldn't know it but I ran to him and put my arms around him, wishing I could hold him one last time... Knowing I couldn't... The Goddess came for me then.


End file.
